The body of the Scott Cao 500 is made of flamed Chinese maple, while the top is European spruce. It has an Indian Ebony fingerboard, ebony fittings, and one fine tuner. These instruments have upgraded tonewoods when compared to Scott Cao's 017 violins. The 500 series instruments are handmade by prize-winning luthiers and every instrument is meticulously graduated, rewarding the player with powerful and refined tone. Additionally, the 500 features a two-piece back, is hand varnished and strung with Dominant strings. The Scott Cao 600 features the same build as the 500 but with higher flamed woods and an upgraded varnish.